Whitey Herzog Builds a Winner

As Lou Brock was chasing 3000 career hits late in the 1979 season-his last after 18 years in the majors-the St. LouisCardinals were looking for a new identity. Brock's departure represented the final link to the team's glory years of the 1960s, and aparade of new players now came in from the minor leagues. With theCardinalsmired in last place by the following June,owner August A. Busch, Jr., hiredWhitey Herzog asfield manager, andshortlyhanded him the general manager's position,too. Herzog was given free rein to rebuild the club toembrace the new running game trendin the majors.With an aggressive style of play and an unconventional approach to personnel moves, he catapulted the Cardinals back into prominence and defined a new age of baseball in St. Louis.